Off Shichirimihama Beach, there is a 25-meter tall outcropping known as the “Shishiiwa,” or “Lion Rock.” “Shishi” are lion-dog creatures derived from Chinese mythology.

The rock itself resembles an open-mouthed, roaring shishi facing the ocean. This is thought to be one of a pair of guardian shishi protecting the nearby Oma Shrine at the headwaters of the Ido River. The other guardian shishi has a closed mouth and sits beside the Shinsendo Rock. These are said to be the largest guardian lion-dogs in all of Japan, and for this reason, there are no guardian shishi at Oma Shrine.


There is also a unique phenomenon that occurs where the mouth of the Lion Rock aligns perfectly with the sun during the summer solstice and with the moon during the winter solstice. It truly is a mysterious rock formation.